Why I Don't Intend (or Even Recommend to Anyone) to Invest in Cryptocurrencies
A cryptocurrency is a digital or virtual currency that is secured by cryptography, which makes it nearly impossible to counterfeit or double-spend. Many cryptocurrencies are decentralized networks based on blockchain technology—a distributed ledger enforced by a disparate network of computers. A defining feature of cryptocurrencies is that they are generally not issued by any central authority, rendering them theoretically immune to government interference or manipulation.
A clear lack of regulation and extreme volatility make it very dangerous
The key defining feature is that cryptocurrency as a digital currency is not regulated. It's very unlike the use of GCash which is a digital currency but it's regulated by the Bangko Sentral Ng Pilipinas (BSP) or the central bank of the Philippines. If there's no government to regulate transactions--you can expect a lot of cheating. Private enterprises provide businesses. Meanwhile, governments provide rules for private enterprises to abide by such as the Fair Competition Act to follow. There's a balance between private and public enterprises. I believe that cryptocurrencies are already crossing the line of having almost no control except by those who run the companies. Sure, governments are not to meddle all the time with private enterprises. However, private enterprises need the government to level the playing field as much as competitors need to abide by the rules of the sports foundation.
I remembered one reason why I prefer not to directly trade in stocks is the volatility. Usually, people tend to be reckless with the stock market. I heard of somebody who borrowed PHP 1 Million to trade in stocks and lost it in a bad deal. The difference is that stock markets are regulated by the BSP. One rule of thumb by stock market dealers is not to invest too much or use money that you are prepared to lose. If one's not sure then get a money manager to help. That's why there are stock-related mutual funds like AXA's Chinese Tycoon or the Unit Investment Treasury Fund (UITF) for a start. Stock markets are affected by supply and demand. Bad perception can cause the stock value to lower due to low demand. Good perception drives up demand causing stock prices to go up. However, all these activities are regulated by a central bank. So, I could buy stocks (or the money managers buy them) during a low season and sell them during a high season. Some people buy a certain number of appreciated stocks to get dividends and to become part of the company. Sometimes, an appreciated stock with a good company continues to grow to create a good portfolio. Fortunately, these activities are regulated which creates controlled volatility.
However, cryptocurrency volatility is much more unpredictable than stocks. Why would I want to be in a market where it's that unpredictable? The stock market coverage can be viewed on television, on a trading application, it can be monitored by both laymen and investors, The extreme volatility could be comparable to the flammability of gasoline. Why do you think storing medical alcohol isn't as risky as storing gasoline? It's because gasoline is much more flammable.
NDTV Profit also has this very special revelation about cryptocurrency and why it's so unusually volatile:
Most cryptocurrencies, including Bitcoin and Ether, are purely digital assets with no backing of any physical commodity or currency. Which means their price is determined entirely by the laws of supply and demand. In absence of any other stabilising factor, like government backing, any number of reasons may lead to a fluctuation in demand or supply.
The very fact that it's purely digital means that there's more room for misuse and abuse. Stock markets and other related investments have a backing up. GCash isn't purely digital either. If I opened an account at CIMB Bank with proper documentation via GCash--I could withdraw from any branch in its Manila address in the form of cash. I could use my Metrobank savings account to finance my GCash operations such as the e-wallet (for spending) and the GSavings. In short, there's paper cash to back it up. A physical commodity such as cash or gold is a safety measure. For example, unauthorized access may have lesser damage if there's some cash from the vault to back it up. Cash is the most liquid asset there is. Cashless transactions are convenient but cash must always back it up. A credit card thrives on cash. GCash thrives on cash. This is very different from cryptocurrency having no physical commodity makes it more of a dangerous game than anything else.
So why would I pay cash for something not backed by cash? The stock market is backed up by cash. Banks are backed up by cash. When I do Internet banking--it's backed up by cash. That's why credit card companies have a minimum to how much is required before a company can use credit cards. That's why some companies don't accept credit cards. It reminds me of how I wanted to eat at SBarro at Robinson's in Downtown, Cebu and had to get some cash to get a zitti. Fortunately, I had cash to get a zitti. The cashier said that the sales didn't meet the qualifications for a credit card. It also reminded me of how Little India in OPM (now closed, Lahug Branch is still operative) didn't immediately accept credit cards either when it was newly opened. Credit card companies need that commitment to continue operating as a business.
The tale of the missing Crypto-Queen from Bulgaria, Germany, is a tale of caution as to why the cryptocurrency is best avoided
All over the world, people were already investing their savings into OneCoin, hoping to be part of this new revolution. Documents leaked to the BBC show that British people spent almost €30m on OneCoin in the first six months of 2016, €2m of it in a single week - and the rate of investment could have increased after the Wembley extravaganza. Between August 2014 and March 2017 more than €4bn was invested in dozens of countries. From Pakistan to Brazil, from Hong Kong to Norway, from Canada to Yemen… even Palestine.
Why have so many people continued to believe in OneCoin, despite all the evidence?
Investors often told us that what drew them in initially was the fear that they would miss out on the next big thing. They'd read, with envy, the stories of people striking gold with Bitcoin and thought OneCoin was a second chance. Many were struck by the personality and persuasiveness of the "visionary" Dr Ruja. Investors might not have understood the technology, but they could see her talking to huge audiences, or at the Economist conference. They were shown photographs of her numerous degrees, and copies of Forbes magazine with her portrait on the front cover.
The degrees are genuine. The Forbes cover isn't: it was actually an inside cover - a paid-for advertisement - from Forbes Bulgaria, but once the real cover was ripped off, it looked impressive.
But it seems it's not just the promise of riches that keeps people believing. After Jen McAdam invested into OneCoin she was constantly told she was part of the OneCoin "family". She was entered into a Whatsapp group, with its own "leader" who disseminated information from the headquarters in Sofia. And McAdam's leader prepared her carefully for conversations with OneCoin sceptics. "You're told not to believe anything from the 'outside world'," she recalls. "That's what they call it. 'Haters' - Bitcoiners are 'haters'. Even Google - 'Don't listen to Google!'" Any criticism or awkward questions were actively discouraged. "If you have any negativity you should not be in this group," she was told.
What we can see are the obvious signs of people who join in scams. There's psychological manipulation and people who join them are peer-pressured into joining them. It reminded me of how I was a gullible 11-year-old who wanted a brand-new Limousine to defeat my classmate who owned a Pajero. I wanted the latest video game console back then because I had to defeat my rival. The same idiocy is applied to the cryptocurrency scam. People get peer-pressured one way or another. If it's the fad then you must follow it. Such thinking is not sound especially if the fad is dangerous. It's like doing extreme body modifications even if we know it can hurt the person's health. Yet, people buy it out of fear of being left out. It's like how people join cults because it looks cool and you're not cool if you're not part of the cult.
Not to mention, there's always something with bragging about one's authentic degree. It's all about credentialism where one's credentials are the main source of credibility instead of the message. In logic, it's an Ad Homimen when you decide to attack the messenger instead of the message. For all we know, the speaker was speaking the truth from a valid source. It's like how my message is more important than my MBA. The Crypto Queen herself has a Ph. D. in law and masters degree in economics. She had an incredible brilliance that would make her a perfect political candidate. Sadly, she misused it for her own selfish gain. A degree is one thing. Being right or wrong about something is another. I believe she used her degree to make people feel dumb if they didn't buy into her lie. I may be no economist or lawyer but I can tell that One Coin is a scam that appeals to emotions and to the gullible. No scammer will ever admit that they're scamming you--something I learned when I landed on a bad contractor that I refused for promising to go under the table.
Cryptocurrency is bad for the environment
According to the Cambridge Bitcoin Electricity Consumption Index, bitcoin-mining operations worldwide now use energy at the rate of nearly a hundred and twenty terawatt-hours per year. This is about the annual domestic electricity consumption of the entire nation of Sweden. According to the Web site Digiconomist, a single bitcoin transaction uses the same amount of power that the average American household consumes in a month, and is responsible for roughly a million times more carbon emissions than a single Visa transaction. At a time when the world desperately needs to cut carbon emissions, does it make sense to be devoting a Sweden’s worth of electricity to a virtual currency? The answer would seem, pretty clearly, to be no. And, yet, here we are.
In short, it's not even electricity efficient. Why would I want to invest in such a business? Every businessman needs to engage in environmentally-friendly capitalism. The old Native American proverb warns that only when the last river is poisoned, the last fish is caught, the last tree is cut down then we realize that money can't be eaten. Money is useless when there's nothing to spend it on. If we cut down all the trees then there will be nothing to make money with or will there be anything to buy money with. Yet, some businessmen don't see the consequences of their actions when they ignore environmental rules and regulations for a quick buck. Yet, money that's easy come is easy go. If you decide to forego creating an environmentally friendly business--you are only earning money for now but not for later. There can be lawsuits that can eventually pile up faster than if you decided to spend money to prevent environmental destruction.
Pretty much, Cryptocurrency should be viewed as damaging to the environment. I want to continue making money long-term. That means spending or waiting are all the options. Engaging in a Get Rich Quick scheme like cryptocurrency is bad for both long-term earnings and the environment. Anything bad for the environment is bad for long-term earnings.
